The Cold Front

Vol. 3 No. 1, 2003

INN THHIISS ISSSSUUEE CLOSED REFRIGERANT

• Closed Refrigerant Circuit
for Screw Compressor Oil
Cooling
• Upcoming Ammonia Classes
• Noteworthy
• PSM Auditing Course
• Benchmarking Study
Invitation
1-6
CIRCUIT FOR SCREW
COMPRESSOR OIL COOLING
2 Thermosiphon oil cooling (TSOC) is a popular choice for screw
compressor oil cooling. An alternative approach to traditional
2 thermosiphon design is to provide one or more dedicated
evaporative condensers in a closed-loop refrigerant circuit to
7 meet the oil cooling heat rejection load. Tropicana Products’
new world-class machinery room in Bradenton, FL is one
8 example of a successful implementation of this concept.
This article examines the closed refrigerant circuit oil cooling
approach in detail. We begin with a brief background on oil
cooling methods followed by a description of the approach. We
conclude the article with design and operational considerations.

BACKGROUND
IRC Staff With the current state of technology, oil cooling is an integral
and necessary part of industrial refrigeration screw compressor
operation. Screw compressors rely on oil to lubricate, seal,
Director quiet, clean, and cool the compressor’s rotors and bearings
Doug Reindl 608/265-3010 during operation. Because the oil is in direct contact with the
or 608/262-6381 refrigerant being compressed, it will increase in temperature as
it absorbs a portion of the refrigerant’s “heat of compression”.
Jim Elleson 608/262-6940 To prevent the oil from overheating, some means of cooling the
oil is required.
Todd Jekel 608/265-3008
Dan Dettmers 608/262-8221 The techniques available for screw compressor oil cooling can
be split into two categories: internal and external. Internal oil
Phone 608/262-8220 cooling involves cooling the oil within the compressor at some
stage during the compression process. The most common
Toll-free 1-866-635-4721 internal oil cooling approach is “liquid injection”, which involves
FAX 608/262-6209 expanding high-pressure liquid refrigerant directly into the body
Mail of the compressor to cool the oil. In liquid injection oil cooling,
949 East Washington Ave the oil supply temperature is controlled by metering the flow of
the high pressure liquid refrigerant to maintain a desired
Suite #2 discharge temperature (typically 130°F). Alternatively, oil can
Madison, WI 53703-2969 be cooled external to the compressor using a separate heat
exchanger. The medium that cools the oil can be water, glycol,
e-mail info@irc.wisc.edu or refrigerant. Water for oil cooling could originate from an
Website www.irc.wisc.edu evaporative condenser sump or if water use is not an issue,
once-through cooling. Glycol-cooled oil cooling systems are
configured as closed-loop systems with a dedicated fluid cooler

1
located outdoors (Figure 1). The most common Upcoming Ammonia Courses
approach for external oil cooling relies on the use of
a refrigerant in a thermosiphon arrangement. Ammonia Refrigeration System Safety
Although internal oil cooling offers low first-cost,
April 23-25, 2003 Madison, WI
ease of design, and installation, external
thermosiphon oil cooling (TSOC) is quickly Process Safety Management Audits Brochure
becoming the preferred choice for screw June 18-20, 2003 Madison, WI
compressor oil cooling. Compared to internal oil
cooling, external oil cooling has lower operating and Design of Ammonia Refrigeration Systems
maintenance costs as well as extended screw September 15-19, 2003 Madison, WI
compressor life. Several compressor
manufacturers are reporting that today, TSOC oil
cooling is specified in more than 50% of their new
Introduction to Ammonia Refrigeration
compressor sales. October 8-10, 2003 Madison, WI

Traditional TSOC designs position an elevated Ammonia Refrigeration Piping

thermosiphon pilot receiver in-line between the October 27-29, 2003 Madison, WI
condenser outlets and the high-pressure receiver
(Figure 2). Liquid from the pilot receiver falls by Intermediate Ammonia Refrigeration
gravity to feed individual oil coolers [IIAR Piping
Handbook, 2000] through the TSOC supply lines.
December 3-5, 2003 Madison, WI
The warmer oil gives up its heat to evaporate the
high-pressure liquid refrigerant supplied to the oil See http://www.irc.wisc.edu/training/ for more
coolers. The vapor generated by the evaporation information.

Figure 1: Glycol fluid cooler (left) for screw compressor external glycol oil cooler (right).

Noteworthy
• In February, we welcomed Sargento Foods as the newest IRC Member Company.
Click here for the press release.
• Check out the coverage of the 2003 IRC Research & Technology Forum in
Process Cooling & Equipment. Click here for the article.
• Send items of note for next newsletter to Todd Jekel, tbjekel@wisc.edu.

2

Evaporative
Condenser(s)
Condenser
Liquid
Drain
TSOC
Return Main
from other Thermosiphon
oil coolers Pilot Receiver
TSOC
Return
Branches
Oil cooler
Oil cooler
Figure 2: Traditional TSOC piping (Not to scale).
process, along with any unboiled high-pressure liquid
refrigerant entrained and carried over from the oil
coolers, migrates back to the pilot receiver through
the TSOC return lines. In the pilot receiver, liquid
separates from the vapor for supply back to the oil
coolers. Vapor is relieved to the condenser inlet
where the heat from the oil cooling process is
rejected to the outside environment. Any high-
pressure liquid draining from the condensers that
exceeds the amount required to feed the oil coolers
overflows to the system’s high-pressure receiver.
CLOSED REFRIGERANT CIRCUIT TSOC HEAT
REJECTION
An alternative approach to the traditional design of
high-side piping and equipment for thermosiphon oil
cooling involves dedicating a closed circuit refrigerant
loop with separate evaporative condenser(s) that
operate only to meet the oil cooling heat rejection
load as shown in Figure 3. Like the closed-loop
glycol fluid cooler system (Figure 1), the dedicated
TSOC system is also a closed-loop. The dedicated
TSOC differs in that the working fluid is now a
3
Equalizer line
Compressor Discharge
TS
Vent
Line
Alternate Equalizer line
Pilot Liquid Drain
TSOC Supply Main
to other oil coolers
TSOC
Supply
Branches
High-Pressure
Receiver
Liquid Feed
to Plant
refrigerant that undergoes a change of phase rather
than a glycol that changes temperature
When to consider
When should a dedicated refrigerant circuit for
thermosiphon oil cooling be considered? There are
several points of opportunity to evaluate the feasibility
of this approach for your systems and plants. A
system expansion is always a great opportunity to
take a step back and consider what could be done, in
the context of the expansion, to improve the system
safety, reliability, operability, safety, and productivity.
Some companies have formed energy SWAT teams.
These teams can evaluate the dedicated TSOC
refrigerant circuit as one approach to improve the
efficiency of refrigeration system through reduced
operational costs for heat rejection. There are other
advantages beyond the efficiency and operational
issues that can justify the use of a dedicated
evaporative condenser for thermosiphon oil cooling.
Let’s look at some advantages and disadvantages.
 Equalizer line

TSOC Refrigeration System

Compressor
Evaporative Evaporative
Discharge
Condenser Condenser(s)
Condenser
Liquid
Drain

TSOC
Return Main
from other
oil coolers Thermosiphon
Pilot Receiver TSOC
Supply Main
to other
TSOC oil coolers
Return
Branches
TSOC
Supply
Branches
High-Pressure
Receiver
Oil cooler

Oil cooler

Liquid Feed
to Plant
Figure 3: Closed refrigerant circuit TSOC piping (Not to scale).
Pros and Cons
The advantages of a closed-loop refrigerant circuit for thermosiphon oil cooling include:

• Improved refrigeration system efficiency and reduced operating costs for oil cooling loads
• Reduced maintenance by maintaining an oil-free refrigerant circuit for feeding oil cooler heat exchangers
• Simplification of high-pressure receiver equalizer piping and thermosiphon relief vent line piping
• Troubleshooting high-side operational issues is simplified

The disadvantages of segregating heat rejection for oil cooling are:

• Overcoming the “We’ve never done it that way before” attitude

• Provisions for redundant oil cooling

OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Control
In our short courses, technical papers, and guidebooks, we have repeatedly talked about the benefits of lowering
or “floating” head pressure in industrial refrigeration systems. However, for a closed-circuit oil cooling system,
reducing the condensing pressure does not minimize energy use. Consider an oil cooling heat rejection system
designed to accommodate the full-load oil cooling requirements with a saturated refrigerant temperature of 95°F
(181 psig). How should that refrigerant circuit be controlled for efficient operation during off-design hours?

Since the oil cooling circuit is now segregated from the refrigeration system’s high-side, we can focus on how it
can be controlled for efficient operation. It is important to recognize that, unlike the rest of the refrigeration

4
system, a dedicated oil cooling refrigeration circuit
does not have compressors connected that would
benefit from reduced “head pressure”. So if the oil
cooling heat rejection system is designed for full-load
oil cooling with a circuit pressure of 181 psig (95°F
saturation), then maintaining a set point pressure in
the oil cooling circuit at 181 psig (95°F) will
accomplish the peak heat rejection without overuse
of condenser fan energy. The lower the refrigerant
set point pressure in the TSOC circuit, the greater the
fan energy consumption. This simple operating set
point strategy can be extended by re-setting the
circuit set point pressure upward as the oil cooling
load decreases; however, it is important to monitor
the oil supply temperatures to ensure each operating
compressor has adequate oil cooling.
In Northern climates, design conditions are only one
aspect of operation, what about operation during
wintertime? The importance of wintertime operation
is heightened when the oil-cooling load decreases
during cold weather due to reduced compressor
discharge pressures and reduced refrigeration load.
Typically, oil cooling loads are correlated with
ambient weather conditions in application such as
distribution centers, cold-storage warehouses,
storage terminals, and other applications with
weather dependant loads. In cold climates, consider
locating the pilot receiver in the engine room to
maintain the TSOC refrigerant circuit pressure above
103 psig (65°F saturation temperature) so oil within
the coolers will remain warm enough to flow freely
during compressor shutdowns. Avoid cycling water
Thermosiphon
Evaporative Globe Valve
Condenser Closed
Purge
Solenoid
Figure 4: Purger considerations (Not all valves shown).
5
pumps during ambient temperature conditions near
freezing (32°F) because the magnitude of
evaporative condenser capacity change associated
with wet vs. dry operation (particularly with the high
saturated condensing temperatures expected in the
sub-system) can create control loop stability
problems.
Condenser fan control for the thermosiphon circuit
is an important aspect of this sub-system.
Condenser control can be enhanced by installing a
variable frequency drive(s) (VFD) on the condenser
fan(s). This allows more precise control of the
thermosiphon circuit refrigerant pressure to its set
point while minimizing fan energy use. VFDs will
also reduce the energy associated with oil cooling
heat rejection during off-design conditions. Off-
design conditions are a reduction in oil cooling load
due either to reduced refrigeration load or ambient
wet-bulb. As implied earlier, the condenser fans on
the thermosiphon circuit need to be modulated to
maintain the thermosiphon pilot receiver pressure
at its control set point. Nominally, the circuit set
point will be 181 psig; however, the pilot receiver
pressure can be reset upward as the oil cooling
load decreases.
Reliability and Redundancy
Redundancy or reliability is important to consider in
the design and operation of an oil cooling system.
Will the refrigeration system need to be available
24 hrs per day, 7 days per week and 365 days per
Equalizer
Purge
Main
Refrigeration System P-traps
Evaporative
Condensers
year? How will the oil cooling arrangement support
system operation in the event that the one or more of
the oil cooling condensers require service? There
are several ways of achieving redundancy for
enhanced oil cooling reliability including: 1. provide
alternate oil cooling source, such as liquid injection,
on one or more compressors; 2. provide condenser
flexibility by specifying more than one condenser to
meet oil cooling loads at design conditions; 3. a
combination of #1 and #2; or 4. provide the ability to
cross-connect the oil cooling circuit with the
condensers used in the main refrigeration system for
heat rejection. The cross-connection option for
redundancy requires that the pilot receiver be
connected to the refrigeration system condensers
and high-pressure receiver as shown in Figure 2.
Purging
Automatic purgers are used in industrial refrigeration
systems using ammonia for removing non-
condensable gases to maintain efficient system
operation. Typically, foul gas, drawn from individual
purge points located at the top of each condenser
heat exchanger outlet, is piped to a foul gas main
connected to one or more purgers (Figure 4). In a
dedicated thermosiphon oil cooling circuit, two
purging-related issues need to be addressed: 1. how
is it accomplished, and 2. when should it be done.
How? With a dedicated oil-cooling refrigerant circuit,
the set point pressure of the oil-cooling condenser
will generally be higher than the refrigeration system
condensing (head) pressure. If the purge points for
the oil cooling condensers are on a common purge
main with the refrigeration system, the pressure
difference between the two systems presents a
problem. When the oil cooling circuit operates at a
pressure higher than the system condensing
pressure, the purge solenoids for the system may be
forced open whenever a purge solenoid in the oil
cooling circuit opens. To avoid this problem, we
recommend one of two alternatives: 1. purge points
from the two heat rejection systems be segregated
onto separate foul gas mains, or 2. isolate each of
the thermosiphon evaporative condenser purge
points using the stop valve at the purge point (Figure
4). These recommendations allow for operation of
the oil cooling condenser at a higher pressure than
the system condensers without back-flowing foul gas
from the thermosiphon to the purge connections on
the refrigeration system condensers.
When? Since a dedicated TSOC circuit will not
accumulate non-condensables during operation, it is
advisable to take those purge points out of the purge
“rotation” except immediately after startup and
servicing that requires line breaking.
6
Sub-system Charging
Charging of the oil cooling refrigerant circuit can be an
iterative process. Because there will not be any oil
cooling load during the initial start-up, liquid refrigerant
will tend to fill the liquid supply piping, oil coolers and
individual oil cooler return piping branches to the level
in the pilot. Once operational, the return branch piping
to the pilot will only be partially filled with liquid on the
active oil coolers. It is important to closely monitor the
liquid level in the pilot receiver after initial startup to
avoid overfilling the pilot. A high liquid level will result
in turbulent conditions in the vapor space of the pilot
during operation.
Reserve liquid in the pilot is less important in a
dedicated thermosiphon system because the oil cooler
circuit is a fixed charge and the oil coolers are not
“sharing” liquid with the entire refrigeration system.
However, a nominal liquid level in the pilot receiver is
needed to ensure that liquid can be fed to each oil
cooler supply branch lines without starving any
branches.
If the cross-connect option (discussed previously for
redundancy) is chosen, the thermosiphon system can
be charged directly from main refrigeration system
using the cross-connect piping.
Oil Management
In a traditional thermosiphon system, oil carry-over in
the discharge line from screw compressors can
possibly accumulate in the refrigerant-side of oil
coolers. Draining oil from the refrigerant side of oil
coolers is time consuming and presents considerable
safety risks. With a dedicated refrigerant circuit for oil
cooling, the refrigerant supply to oil coolers can be
maintained oil free, thereby, eliminating the need to
manage or drain oil from the oil coolers.
CONCLUSION
A thermosiphon refrigerant circuit and condenser
dedicated to oil cooling for screw compressors is an
alternative to traditional thermosiphon configuration that
offers reduced operational costs, simplified
troubleshooting, and eliminates oil from the
refrigeration side of the oil cooler. In addition to
presenting the concept, considerations for operation,
maintenance, and redundancy were briefly covered.
If you have questions or comments on this article,
please contact Todd Jekel at (608) 265-3008 or
tbjekel@wisc.edu.
 Process Safety Management Audits
June 18-20, 2003 Madison, WI

Demand Forces Overflow Offering

Due to the demand for EPD’s Auditing PSM Systems course initially offered in January 2003, we have scheduled a
repeat “overflow” course for June. Don’t miss this opportunity to “raise the bar” on your plant’s process safety
management programs.

What Have Past Attendees Said About This Course?

“This is one of the most thorough, energetic, well-paced, and valuable content seminars I’ve ever attended!”
Phil Froncek, Agrilink Foods

“Very nicely laid out and thorough. The program was timely and will help us assure a safer workplace.”
Jeff Vorpahl, Packerland Packing

“Good tools to proceed with for conducting our audits and program improvements.”
Paul Brunette, Kraft Canada

Learn Sound Principles and Practices

Attend this course and learn sound principles and practices for conducting effective PSM compliance audits.
Compliance audits of PSM systems are one of the most effective means of continuously improving your plant’s PSM
program. Perform quality audits and reap the benefits of enhanced safety and more reliable “cold”.

Boost Your Understanding

The workshop format of this course will help you conduct high-performance, effective process safety management
systems audits. Our goals in offering this course are to help you
• understand a range of approaches for conducting PSM compliance audits
• assess and allocate required resources to conduct effective audits
• continuously improve PSM programs, and
• continuously improve the reliability and deliverability of “cold” as a result of conducting a compliance audit

Upon completion of the course, you will understand

• a wide range of audit types
• techniques for conducting effective PSM audits
• strategies for staffing and executing audits
• approaches for turning your audit results into PSM program improvements

Attend and Benefit

This course has been designed for
• PSM coordinators
• managers responsible for safety
• refrigeration personnel (operators, mechanics and supervisory staff)
• audit team members
• managers concerned with the reliability and dependability of “cold”
• others who want to learn more about enhanced refrigeration system safety and reliability

Take Home Valuable Compliance Audit Tools

As an attendee, you will receive a complete set of course notes. In addition, you will receive a CD-ROM with
valuable tools for conducting compliance audits at your facility.

Download a complete brochure including a course outline and registration materials by clicking here.

7
 Benchmarking Refrigeration System Performance
Is your refrigeration plant energy efficient? How do you know?
Improving the energy efficiency of refrigeration systems can provide significant economic
and operational benefits. Unfortunately, very little information is currently available to
identify systems with above- or below-average energy use. The Industrial Refrigeration
Consortium (IRC) has initiated a research effort to develop benchmark data to help
refrigeration plant personnel assess their facilities' energy costs relative to other plants.

The IRC is currently seeking plants to take part in this research project. In exchange for
furnishing monthly energy use and load data, participating organizations will gain preferred
access to the benchmarking results, including:

• Prepublication copies of the final report (published reports will not be released for
18 months following completion of the work)
• Written status reports and telephone conference calls on work in progress
• Special assistance from investigators to resolve energy analysis questions
• Optional custom analysis of your plants' energy use

For more information, or to learn how to participate, download the project description from
our website at www.irc.wisc.edu.

ITT’SS NO
OTT TO
OOO LA
ATTEE!
Join the IRC in 2003
The IRC’s mission is to improve the safety, reliability, efficiency, and productivity of
industrial refrigeration systems. Our vision is to make continuous progress toward
improving the safety, productivity, and efficiency of the systems and technologies that form
the foundation of the industrial refrigeration industry.

Does your company have needs in the areas of education, technical assistance or strategic
planning for refrigeration? If so, please contact us to see how joining the IRC can benefit
you and your company.

N
NEEW
WSSLLEETTTTEERR IID SW
DEEAAS WEELLCCO
OM D!!
MEED
If it is of interest to you, it is undoubtedly of interest to
others.

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